WOLVES AMONG THE SHEEP: life giving, important thoughts on troublemakers. 11 FEB 2017

Trouble making wolves are a virus attacking a body. If not contained they can kill a body. (I have wanted to write on this subject for several years, the reason I have not is that I wrote an incredibly powerful article in 2002 that I had hoped to find & reuse. It was a masterpiece of inspiration. I will just have to accept a feeling of dissatisfaction, as I compare the results of this post in my mind to what I previously wrote & lost.) ROM 3:23 teaches that “All have sinned…” Everyone can be disturbing…& everyone can act selfish at times. For a number of reasons, Christ said, take the log out of your eye before you remove the splinter in someone else’s. As all of us have shortcomings, the first project we should each work on is oneself! “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.” (A)

WHY THIS POST IS IMPORTANT. Conflict is endemic to groups. How wonderful if everyone involved in a conflict were clear headed, patient, reasonable, sane, and godly. The churches are sadly one of the institutions which indulge in shooting their wounded. Due to a number of dynamics inherent in small Christian groups, wolves (from here on also called troublemakers) are allowed to circulate unmolested & often are encouraged in tearing apart the flock. In my experience, very little practical instruction takes place to train congregations to deal with such wolves. Often Christians think that a dose of love or respect or logic will pacify & tame these wolves. It doesn’t work that way. Like a rotten apple, the disrupting wolf can spoil an entire congregation & create a chain reaction of people being upset. Troublemakers will make trouble —it is their nature…if a congregation is not protective of their peace and gives assistance to troublemakers, then the problem spreads like an epidemic. There needs to be more awareness on the part of congregations & groups not to accommodate trouble-makers. They are the problem, not the good people they target. Churches & legit pastors are targeted by the occult; it’s an ongoing Illuminati program. People are even trained by the enemy to know how to disrupt or mislead a congregation. Good pastors are targeted for destruction, often with an alluring female trained to compromise him. While it is always possible for a wolf in sheep’s clothing to change—how often in nature have you seen a wolf become a sheep? It doesn’t happen often within the world of people either.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF US BY CHRIST. God has called us to peace. (B) We need to see the value of others & what God is doing their life. God gives us unconditional love, & teaches how to pass this on to our fellow man. “By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.(C) But love does not ask us to be stupid. “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (D) “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.”(E) Unfortunately, healthy conflict or opposing views are often seen as problems. There should be a better awareness between what are healthy differences, & what is a trouble-maker. Peter said how many times shall I forgive a brother who sins against me? As many as 7 times? And Christ said seventy times seven. (F) The Bible says not to bring an angry man into your home. Why? “An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgressions.” (G) “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.”(H) Avoid them, don’t appease them. Appeasement does not satisfy the troublemaker. Do you notice that the entire body of brethren are called to note the divisive person. Who is responsible to deal with a troublemaker in a congregation?? The whole body, although the first act is to be a one-on-one private conversation. Some people don’t like to rock the boat & will not confront the wolf. The wolf does not push for forgiveness, but to gain the upper hand. So here is a description of the beast…

WHAT A HUMAN WOLF (TROUBLE-MAKER) IS LIKE. They may be disturbed individuals, and may be paranoid and have other psychoses…they will go to extremes that will all out of proportion with reality. And demonic & evil spirit forces enjoy using them to disrupt the work of God. Their demands may be impossible to meet. They will not use reason, even if at other times they prove that their minds are capable of using reasoning. They thrive on unhealthy conflict. They desire the destruction of their target. The troublemaker neither gives forgiveness nor wants it. They are intimidating & some others follow them due to their intimidating nature or because they also crave drama. Trouble makers initiate trouble & create drama, they don’t wait for it to come to them. They tear down rather than build up. They quibble over trivial issues, & present strong proof for small irrelevant issues. They’ll make an assertion that can’t proven or disproven, then claim it is proven because it can’t be disproven. They exaggerate their victim’s position, beliefs & actions. They will question the motives of others, as if they really know the motives. They gossip, frighten, & enrage. Ask yourself: Are they offering constructive criticism? Most criticism is not constructive. If it is setting up a contest, rather than a win-win situation…it is tearing down…not building up.

The wolf loves to fill power voids. Some of the sidekicks to troublemakers feel important riding the coat tails of the troublemaker. All crave attention. Many crave drama. While the troublemaker acts like the issue he raises is important to him, a long term close look at his life will show the opposite…the issue is merely a means to some goal.

ISSUES. Christians are very sensitive about their beliefs and have lots of trip wires hooked to emotional explosive devices. In other words, they are touchy creatures…esp. about doctrines. Too touchy, if you ask me. Christ was not as touchy about doctrine as many Christians. True, there is a Spirit of Truth v. a Spirit of Error.(I) But part of the Spirit of Error is not being loving in the treatment of someone who disagrees with our viewpt. There are indeed those who cause trouble by bringing another gospel.(J)

WARNING SIGNALS—CLUES AN ATTACK IS COMING. It is helpful to see the enemy’s preparations for an attack…he gets sarcastic and chilly in the relationship. You feel the ice coldness & rudeness. The rumor mill starts up. They begin to stir the pot with others, to insure lots of discordant drama. They will start asking fussy questions that irritate like a mosquito buzzing your head. The troublemaker will begin taking part in things that are normally outside of their sphere of activity. The wolf may begin to actively resist you, openly ridicule you, and express “concerns” to whoever will listen. When the start of the attack comes, it will involve smirks, “Judas kissing”, and fabrications, exaggerations, & distortions. They may begin to pester my harassing people with calls.

FINAL THOUGHTS. This is only a small look at a large problem. If troublemaking wolves are not restrained and put in their place, they can rip good people to shreds. This short look at the problem is certainly not the last word that can be said, but hopefully alerts readers…that one has to be careful in tolerating wolves…they cannot be appeased. We are called to heal our wounded, not shoot them. Sadly, many congregations have been destroyed, and many people inflicted with deep pains, before anyone realized the few things this post has discussed. May you be bless my friend, and may the love of Christ fill your heart and life.

REFERENCES. (A) 2 TIM 2:15-16 (B) 1 COR 7:15 (C) JN 13:31 (D) MT 10:16 (E) TIT 3:10 (F) MT 18:21-22 (G) PRV 29:22 (H) ROM 16:17 (I) 1 JN 4:5-6 (J) GAL 1:7